If one of your goals is to become more organized, develop the art of looking, a very simple habit which will produce a less cluttered environment.

Like most people, you probably haven’t taken a good look at your stuff in a long time. Most of us don’t really look at an item once it’s out of the package and on a shelf, in a drawer, or on the wall. It simply fades into the background. Items may be added, but existing items are rarely evaluated to determine if they are worth keeping. Over time, clutter builds. One day you look around and realize that you are literally surrounded by things you no longer like, need, or use.

The art of looking means to really focus on one item individually as if seeing it for the first time. Do I still like this item? Am I currently using or enjoying it? The goal is to surround yourself only with things that will make spaces in the home and office more peaceful and productive.

It sounds easy to accomplish, yet it seldom gets done. It takes effort at first, but making the art of looking a habit will save time and reduce stress. Start small. Really look at the knick-knacks on your desk or a shelf. Do they still reflect current interests? A few cherished items are better than a bunch of “just okays.”

Take five minutes to look at a your sock drawer; remove a few pairs. When searching the kitchen cabinet for something, toss the expired crackers and donate the cans of soup you never eat.

Receive a new jacket for Christmas? Open your coat closet and look. Donate the old raincoat to a favorite charity. Purchase new books? Pull out titles that probably won’t get read or are no longer interesting. Slowly, over time, take a good look at each part of each room of your home or office. Instead of wondering whether to keep an item, ask whether you enjoy or use it. Don’t make this new habit a big project; just get started. Habits take time to develop.

There may be quite a few things that no longer reflect your current interests or who you are. That’s normal. Say goodbye to those items and make room for the things you love and use. Trust me, most of what is let go won’t be missed.

Start every year with a cleaner slate. Create a new habit of looking and enjoy less cluttered and more peaceful spaces.